


All That I Can See is You

by Spacecadet72



Category: Ever After (1998)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:15:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21830599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: Danielle confesses all to Henry at the ruins at Amboise.
Relationships: Danielle de Barbarac/Prince Henry (Ever After)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 265
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	All That I Can See is You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zilentdreamer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zilentdreamer/gifts).



> I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to do for this fic, as there were too many ideas that I could have gone with. But ultimately, I had to go with this one--how would things have been different if Danielle had told Henry everything when she went to see him at the ruins? I love how the movie goes, but this was fun to explore. I hope you enjoy it! :)
> 
> Title comes from the song Once in a Lifetime by Landon Austin.

"Now then, what was it you wanted to tell me?" Henry asked, looking into Nicole’s eyes. He wondered what had caused her the pain and anxiety he could see radiating out of her entire being. 

She shook her head, not quite meeting his gaze. "Simply that last night was the happiest night of my life." 

He pulled her back as she tried to go, not quite ready for her to be gone yet. He wanted to calm her fears, and get rid of the uneasy look in her eyes. Resting his hands on her arms, he leaned down to press his lips to hers. She responded immediately, and he moved his arms to pull her closer to him. 

She pulled back from the kiss and let out a pained cry. 

"Nicole?" he asked, concerned. Something was not right. 

She simply shook her head and tried to leave again. 

He held fast to her hand, not wanting her to leave until he knew what was causing her pain, for it had been a pained cry that she had let out. What had he done to cause that reaction?

"Nicole, stay, tell me what is wrong." 

She stopped trying to leave, but could barely meet his eyes as she shook her head. "It is nothing, just an injury. Do not worry about me." 

Henry stepped in closer, but kept his hands on her arms light. She had flinched when he touched her back, but he didn't know the extent of the injury. "You are injured? What happened?"

"Henry, please don't ask me," she said, her voice a whisper, tears in her eyes. 

He could barely stand to see her so in pain, looking so vulnerable and small. "Please tell me," he asked, his voice mimicking hers. "If you are hurting, I must know." 

She closed her eyes, before nodding as she let out a shaky breath. "I received a lashing." 

Henry's eyes widened and he couldn't find any words for a few long moments. "A lashing? Who would do such a thing? I must find them at once, and..." he trailed off as his anger at what had happened to her rose. The villain would surely pay for what he had done to Nicole. 

She was shaking her head. "I cannot tell you." 

Henry sighed and closed his eyes to rein in his anger. He would not help her by losing control. He thought through who it could have been, and he came up with only one answer. "Your cousin?"

Nicole bit her lip. "No. And yes." 

Back at this again? Why was getting an answer about anything personal from her so difficult? "I promise they can never hurt you again, Nicole. Tell me who it is and I will make sure you are safe." 

"If I tell you, you will not be worried about my safety." 

Henry's brow furrowed in confusion. "How could I be worried about anything but that? Nicole, you are hurting and I will make sure it never happens again."

His plea was met with silence and he let out a frustrated sigh. "Tell me, please," he said, forcing his voice to become softer, not wanting to take his anger out on her, especially when she had already been through so much. Whoever had hurt her must be formidable indeed to make this normally strong and fierce woman so frightened. 

She looked at him for a few long moments, and then gave one decisive nod. "Alright, I will tell you. It is a long story, but I think you need to hear all of it to...to understand." She took in a deep breath and continued her story in stuttering tones. "There was once a young girl, who loved her father very much." 

Henry listened, first in confusion and then in anger as understanding dawned as she explained exactly who she was and how she had come to give him the name of her mother with a false title. 

She finished her tale and he took a step back, trying to take everything in. "I need--" he broke off as she reached out for him. "I need a moment." 

She nodded, her eyes down as he wandered through the trees. A servant? Not even really a servant, but forced to be one in her own home. It explained her beliefs and feelings towards the lower classes. He had wondered at the contradiction she made as a courtier with views against the subjugation of those beneath the nobility. 

How could she have lied to him? How could he have been so taken in? He felt his anger rise again, as a response to his own stupidity. He heard the crack of a crushed twig and his gaze flew to where Nicole--no, Danielle--was walking slowly around the trees away from him, giving him space. 

She looked so unlike herself, so small, and he felt all of his anger give way as if rushing out of a wound in his side. And he did feel wounded, completely caught off guard by her confession. But that was it, wasn't it? She had told him the truth, and the initial lie had not been to hurt him, but to save another. She truly was one of the best women he had ever met, even if she wasn't a courtier. 

And she had been hurt because of him. Her stepmother, the Baroness, would pay for that dearly, no matter what happened with them. But then, how many other courtiers treated their servants similarly, even if they weren't related? She had opened his eyes in the past few days he had known her, and he found he couldn't sit back and ignore those beneath him anymore. 

A whirlwind of emotions and confusion befuddled his mind; his thoughts were at war, divided between anger at her, himself, and the Baroness. Were they fated to meet and fall in love? He knew it was love. He could not deny those feelings even as the rest of his emotions were in doubt. While she had lied to him about her name and station, he knew, deep within him that she had not lied about anything else and had shown him who she truly was. That was who he had fallen in love with and he couldn't deny it any longer. It didn't matter who her parents were or how she spent her days. 

"Ni--Danielle," he called, turning towards her. 

She looked up at his call, hope mixed with fear on her face. He walked over to her quickly, not wanting her to feel that fear a moment longer. 

"Your highness, I am sorry--" she began, but he reached out to rest a hand on her cheek and she fell silent. 

"Henry," he reminded her quietly, "and please don't apologize. You weren't trying to trap me, only trying to save someone you loved. That's more than I've ever done, but I resolve to start now, if you'll let me." 

"What do you mean?" Danielle asked, looking up at him, that hope shining through her eyes. 

"I love you," Henry said, not able to stop the smile that bloomed across his lips at the words. How he loved her! "I may not have known your name until now, but I knew you and what you've told me does not change that. I meant what I said earlier. If you will have me, tomorrow night at the masque, I will let everyone know how much I love you." 

"You would marry a commoner?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.

"I would marry the woman I love, who makes me a better ruler and a better man," he said, knowing that with her by his side, he would make a better king than he ever would with anyone his father could force him to marry. 

There were more tears filling her eyes as she looked up at him, a smile threatening at the corners of her mouth. "I love you." 

Henry could not stop himself from leaning down and pressing his lips to hers. He placed his hands carefully on her arms, but did not move to pull her closer or touch her anywhere else. He would not cause her any more pain. 

"What will your parents think?" she asked, worry creeping back into her expression once they had pulled back. 

Henry shook his head. "My father said if I found someone before the masque, that I could marry for love. He put no other stipulations on my choice. And I love you." 

"I do not think you have asked me a question," she asked, some of the heaviness clearing from her eyes as she looked up at him impishly. 

He let out a laugh before taking both of her hands in his. "Danielle de Barbarac, will you be my wife?"

She nodded vigorously, the tears now flowing down her cheeks as she threw her arms around him. He caught himself just before he put his arms around her back and instead moved his hands to her hips and held her close. 

She was to be his wife. He had felt so aimless and lost before he met her, angry at the responsibilities he had been forced into by birth. Now, he felt excitement at the good he could do, the change he could enact as prince and one day king. And with her by his side, he knew that feeling would only grow and solidify into something much more solid and lasting. 

She leaned up to capture his lips with hers and he grinned against her mouth. His wife. 


End file.
